Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano yesterday called for Chinese diplomats to be expelled over an alleged leak of a phone conversation with a Filipino admiral in a significant escalation of a bitter row over the South China Sea.
China’s embassy in Manila had orchestrated “repeated acts of engaging and dissemination of disinformation, misinformation and malinformation,” with the objective of sowing discord, division and disunity, Ano said in a statement.
Those actions “should not be allowed to pass unsanctioned without serious penalty,” he said.
Photo: Reuters
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lin Jian (林劍) called the comments provocative and said Chinese diplomats in the Philippines had to be allowed to do their job.
“China solemnly requests the Philippine side to effectively safeguard the normal performance of duties by Chinese diplomatic personnel, stop infringing and provoking, and refrain from denying the facts,” Lin told a regular press briefing in Beijing.
The office of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and the foreign affairs department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The two countries have been embroiled in a series of heated standoffs this past year in disputed areas of the South China Sea. China has accused the Philippines of trespassing and of treachery, while Manila has scolded Beijing for what it says is a policy of aggression and dangerous maneuvering inside its exclusive economic zone.
The expelling of diplomats could intensify a row that has so far seen heated exchanges, diplomatic protests and the ramming and water-cannoning of Philippine ships at two disputed shoals.
Ano was referring to a news report this week of an alleged leak of a call between a Chinese diplomat and a Filipino admiral discussing a dispute over the South China Sea, which carried a transcript that showed the admiral agreeing to concessions with China.
According to the transcript published by the Manila Times, the admiral agreed to China’s proposal of a “new model,” where the Philippines would use fewer vessels in resupply trips to marines stationed at a grounded warship at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal (Renai Shoal, 仁愛暗沙), and notify Beijing about the missions in advance.
Reuters has not heard the reported phone conversation and could not verify the contents of the published transcript.
The report said the conversation had taken place in January and the transcript was provided by a “ranking Chinese official,” which it did not name.
Ano said he backed the defense secretary’s call for the foreign affairs department to take appropriate action against embassy officials, who he claimed recorded an alleged phone conversation in contravention of Philippine laws, as well as serious breaches of diplomatic protocols.
“Those individuals in the Chinese embassy ... and those responsible for these malign influence and interference operations must be removed from the country immediately,” he said.
‘BLUE BIRD ACTION’: The Cabinet said it will send the bills back for another legislative review, while the DPP vowed to seek a constitutional interpretation The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed bills proposed by opposition lawmakers that would increase legislators’ oversight of the government as thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the venue to protest the changes. The legislature passed the amendments to the Act Governing the Legislative Yuan’s Power (立法院職權行使法) after a day of raucous debates and scuffles between the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), which saw one lawmaker’s T-shirt ripped. Progress on passing revisions to the act had been slow earlier in the day, as the DPP made legislators go through all 77 articles of
EXPANDING FLEET: The new vessel was launched amid tensions with China, as the CGA has been busy chasing off boats entering waters near Kinmen County The latest domestically designed and built 600-tonne class Coast Guard Administration (CGA) vessel, the Yong Kang (永康艦), was yesterday formally launched by Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) in Kaohsiung as part of efforts to beef up the nation’s coastal patrol capabilities amid rising tensions with China. The government has pledged to spend US$1.31 billion in building 141 ships of six different types for the CGA between 2018 and 2027, Hsiao said during the ceremony. The Yong Kang is the eighth 600-tonne Anping-class missile corvette to be launched as part of the project, she said. The vessel’s launch highlights the determination of the government
ECFA MANIPULATIONS: The MAC urged China to cease its ‘economic pressure’ and ‘resolve disputes through constructive dialogue without political preconditions’ The government yesterday criticized China for unilaterally announcing a plan to expand its suspension of preferential tariff rates for Taiwanese imports that had been part of a bilateral trade deal, effective from June 15. Taiwan “strongly protested and expressed its dissatisfaction with” Beijing’s decision to further suspend tariff concessions on 134 Taiwanese products under the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said at the legislature in Taipei. Beijing’s move is “unilateral” and not in line with WTO regulations, Chiu said, adding that it was a “political maneuver” aimed at “exerting pressure on Taiwan.” The announcement by
UPDATE: 6pm The legislature on Tuesday passed a set of controversial legislative reform bills into law that seek to expand the chamber’s powers of investigation and introduce fines for holding the legislature in contempt. More than 10,000 protesters had amassed outside by 4pm as opposition lawmakers voted through the bills using their majority an hour later. More demonstrators were expected to arrive throughout the evening. The last time the legislature deliberated the bills on Friday last week, more than 100,000 people took to the streets outside in protest. Critics say the proposals are unconstitutional and were forced through without proper cross-party deliberation. They have